Amusement apparatus.



W. S. VAN SANT. AMUSEMBNT APPARATUS.'

' APPLIUATION FILED NOV. 8, 1909.

969,31 3. A Patented sept. 6, 1910.

jzven for WILLIAM SHERMAN VAN SANT, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. i

Patented Sept. 6, 1910.

Application led November 8, 1909. Serial No. 526,780.

l'o all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, VILLIAM SHERMAN VAN SANT, a citizen of the United Stat-es, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an amusement apparatus which is designed for use in pleasure parks, fairs, expositions, and other places of entertainment.

It is the object of this invention to provide an amusement device, which aifords an interesting, exciting and unique form of entertainment, and which embodies a traveling support with a number of mechanically animated figures, in this case representing animals like mules, mountedthereon; these dummy mules being adapted to whirl and turn from side to side, and to rise and lower, and otherwise simulate the action of a balky, or unruly beast, and so tend to unseat a rider.

A device of this nature provides lively and invigorating exercise to patrons, and amusing entertainment to onlookers.

The invention consists of the parts and the combination and construction of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a partial plan view of the invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line .cv-a Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged section showing the mechanism for operating the figure. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on the line g/-g/ Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a diagram showing the undulated track.

In the drawings, A is a circular, rotatable platform suitably mounted centrally on a pivotal bearing 2 which is provided with ball bearings 3 to reduce friction in the usual manner. The outer periphery of the platform A is appropriately supported as on rollers 4, spaced at suitable intervals on the platform, and adapted to travel on a circular and level track 5, fixed to a suitable frame-work 5.

The platform A is suitably rotated as by means of a continuous cable 6 riding in a groove on the circumference of the platform, and is driven by any suitable meansI not necessary to be here shown.

7 represents radially disposed levers fulcrumed at their inner ends at S to the under l side of the platform A. The levers 7 have i their outer ends connected to a housing V10 on which rollers 11 are mounted. The rollers 11 are adapted to travel on a circular track 12 inside of and concentric with track 5, and having undulations 18, shown in Fig. 5, at intervals on its surface, so as to cause the outer ends of the levers 7 to rise and fall as the rollers 11 travel around the trackway 12; the up and down movements of the levers 7 being independent of the platform A which latter always travels level.

Each housing 10 is provided with a horizontal slotted portion 14 through which a vertical tubular shaft 15 extends. Collars or flanges 16-16a on the tubular shaft 15 bear on each side of the slotted bearing 14, thus retaining the column or standard l5 in connection with the lever 7 so 'that the rocking motion of a lever, as its roller 11 travels over the track l2, imparts a vertical reciprocating motion to its column or standard 15 which carries a passenger conveyance, here shown in the shape of a mule or other dummy animal 19.

The upper end of the tubular standard 15 extends through a bearing 17 on the platform A, and is forked at 18 so as to form a yoke between which the dummy figure 19 pins 2l on the figure 19, extend on each side of the yoke 18 so as to limit the swinging movement of the figure on its mounting 20. A shaft or stem 22 extends through the tubular standard 15, and is loosely keyed thereto so as to slide in but turn with the standard. Stem 22 projects into the hollow portion 23 of the figure, and has a loose connection with the long arm of the lever 24 fulcrumed at 25 in the neck of the dummy. The short arm of the lever 25 is pivoted in a space within the head 26 of the figure.

The lower end of the stem 22 projects below standard 15 and carries a disk 27 mounted rigidly thereon, which is adapted to be acted upon by projecting cams 28- 28*28a 28b, disposed at intervals in the path of travel of the disk 27, and at successively different levels. The cams 2828-- 28-28b, are preferably spring-supported as as a disk 27 comes in contact therewith, the disk is caused to revolve thereby, rotating the stem 22, and standard 15, thus causing the figure 19 to whirl to one side or the other, according to which cam was encounis pivotally suspended as at 20. Projecting shown at 29, Fig. 1, and are so arranged that tered by the disk 27 the cams 28-28- 28a-23b being arranged at intervals on each side of the path of travel of the disks so that the disk may be revolved in opposite directions atr different times, as the platform A is rotated.

A portion of the surface of platform A, is padded as shown at 30, in any suitable manner, this padding covering the floor surface of the platform for a considerable area around the figure 19 so that if any one is thrown off, or falls off, no injury will result.

The legs 31 of the figures 19 may also be formed of soft or padded materials, and made flexible, or hinged at the joint 32.

33 are reins, preferably made of a band of metal so as to be stiff enough to form a handle or railing to hold on to, these reins being pivoted to the animals head as shown and extending within `easy reach of lthe rider. Pulling up on the reins causes the head 26 of the animal to turn on its pivot 25, and so rocks the lever 24, and presses down the stem 22 as to bring the fixed disk 27 on the stem into the path or prospective engagement with one or the other of the cams 28-23, thereby to produce the whirling motions of the animal. The bumps 13 and the rollers 11 on levers 7 which carry the standards 15, produce the up and down motion of the animals.

In operation, the patron of the device who desires to attempt to ride a balky mule 19 is seated in a padded saddle on the back of the animal, and the platform A is then caused to revolve. As the platform rotates, the levers travel therewith, the rollers 11 following the track 12. YVhenever a bump or undulation 13 on the track 12 is encountered, a lever 7 and its tubular standard 15 are caused to suddenly rise and fall, thus imparting a bucking movement to the figure V19. The disks 27 traveling with the platform A, come in occasional contact with one or the other of the cams 2S, 28, 23b and cause t-he figure 19 to swing to one side or the other, or turn around according to the length of the cam, and its position on either side of the disk.

The rider by grasping the reins 33, pulls upward on the head 26, thus rocking the lever 241011 its pivot 25 so as to cause the stem 22 to slide downward in the tube 15, thus lowering the disk 27 in line with one or the other of the rows of cams 28, 28', 28, 2S", according to the amount of pull exerted upon the reins 33. The cams in .the different rows are located closer together in each succeeding row, sothat the `action on the disk 27 becomes more frequent the lower it is moved; and by this arrangement the rider j can intensify the actions of the animal to suit.

The cams 28-28C-2Sf1--28b are so positioned with respect to the undulations 13 eeasi that both cams and undulations do not act simultaneously, as otherwise a rider reining up on his beast would be liable to have the disk 27 catch above or below a cam, and possibly break something. Sometimes the track 12 may be elevated for a distance in one place so that even by pulling clear back on the reins no cams would be encountered' by the disk.

A spring 34 tends to retain the disk 27 in line with the upper row of cams 28, so that when the rider releases or eases the pull on the reins 33 the movements of the figure become more moderate.

The motions and v.movements imparted to the figure 19 in connection with the centrifugal force exerted by the revolving platform act to unseat the rider, who when thrown falls upon the pad 30. The padded floor and flying wheels of :the animal insures the rider against injury.

Of course the main object of the rider is, besides keeping his seat, to keep his animal straight ahead, but this is difiicult to do, because the same pull backward on the reins of one animal will not give the same turning or whirling action that it gives to another, owing to the dierent positions of the undulations in track 12.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters-Patent, is:

1. The combination of a rotatable support, a passenger conveyance thereon, means controlled by the occupant of said conveyance for giving turning motion to the latte-r during the travel of said support.

2. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a traveling support, a passenger conveyance mounted thereon, means for giving the same Van up and down motion, and means controlled by the passenger for giving the conveyance a side to side motion vduring the travel of the support.

3. In an amusement apparatus, the combinationfof a traveling support, a passenger conveyance thereon, said passenger conveyance having a jointed movable part, and means connected with said movable part and vcontrolled by the passenger for giving the conveyance a sidewise movement during the travel of the support.

4. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a traveling support, a passenger conveyance thereon, said passenger conveyance having a jointed movable part, and means connected with said movable part and controlled by the passenger for giving the conveyance a sidewise movement in either direction during the travel of the support.

5. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a traveling support, a standard vertically slidable therein, a passenger conveyanee mounted on the standard, a lever fulcrumed to the support, the outer end of said lever carrying a roller traveling over a fixed undulated trackway, and said standard supported on said lever and rising and falling with the oscillations of said lever.

G. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a traveling support, a standard vertically slidable therein, a passenger conveyance mounted on the standard, a lever ulcrumed to the support, the outer endof said lever carrying a roller traveling over a fixed undulated trackway, and said standard supported on said lever and rising and falling with the oscillation of said lever, a stem extending through 4said standard, means for reciprocating the stem, and means in conjunction with the stem for giving the passenger conveyance a sidewise turning movement.

7. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a traveling support, a standard vertically slidable therein, a passenger conveyance mounted on the standard, a lever fulcrumed to the support, the outer end of said lever carrying a roller traveling over a Xed undulated trackway, and said standard supported on said lever and rising and falling with the oscillations of said lever, a stem slidable in the standard, means under the control of the passenger for reciprocating the stem, and means in conjunction with the stem for giving the conveyance a sidewise turning movement.

8. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a traveling support, a standard vertically slidable therein, a passenger conveyance mounted on the standard, a lever fulcrumed to the support, the outer end of said lever carrying a roller traveling over a fixed undulated trackway, and said standard supported on said lever and rising and falling with the oscillations of said lever, a stem slidable in and turnable with the standard, means under the control of the passenger for reciprocating the stem, a Xed disk on the stem, and cams in the path of the disk engageable thereby to rotatably oscillate the standard.

9. In an amusement apparatus, the combination of a traveling support, a standard vertically slidable therein, a passenger conveyance mounted on the standard, a lever fulcrumed to the support, the outer end of said lever carrying a roller traveling over a fixed undulated trackway, and said standard supported on said lever and rising and falling with the oscillations of said lever, a stem slidable in the standard and turnable therewith, a lever connected with the stem, reins or equivalent members connected with the lever for reciprocating the stem, a series of fixed cams at diierent levels, and means carried by the stem engageable with said cams to turn the standard.

l0. The combination of a rotary support, a vertically disposed hollow standard slidable and turnable therein, a passenger conveyance representing an animal supported on said standard, and means under the control of the rider for causing said animal to whirl from side to side during the travel of the support, said animal having flexible legs.

l1. The combination with a revolving support, of a vertically disposed hollow standard slidable and turnable therein, a passenger conveyance representing the figure of an animal supported on said standard, said gure having a jointed head, rein members connected with the head, and means by which on the pulling of the reins the figure may be made to turn during the rotation of the support.

l2. The combination with a revolving s upport, of a vertically disposed hollow standard slidable and turnable therein, a passenger conveyance representing the figure of an animal supported on said standard, said gure having a jointed head, rein members connected with the head, and means by which on the pulling of the reins the figure may be made to turn during the rotation of the support, said last named means including a stem slidable in the standard, a disk on the stem, and fixed cams with which said disk is engageable.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

WILLIAM SHERMAN VAN SANT.

Witnesses:

JAMES LOUIS SCANLAN,

E. SLATER. 

